Sushmitha Reddy Photography

A fleeting glimpse into the hidden life of the forest.

In a landscape where most wildlife chooses to remain unseen, camera traps offer a rare glimpse into lives that unfold long after we leave the forest.

This image is particularly special to me, as it was my first leopard captured on a camera trap in 2024.

Old souls always know the way home 🌊
Happy World Turtle Day 😊

What’s one word you’d give this moment?

Would love to hear your thoughts below 🤍
One word only 👇

A few years ago, I got to tag along on this snake rescue with near where I work.

What stayed with me most was actually a conversation we had during the rescue. He mentioned how, a lot of the time, the rescue isn’t just about the snake — it’s also about rescuing people from fear.

And honestly, that really stayed with me.

Watching these situations unfold, you realise snake rescuers do much more than just remove snakes from places. They step into moments where humans and wildlife suddenly find themselves too close to each other, trying to make sure fear doesn’t decide the outcome.

In many parts of India, snakes are still worshipped.
There’s a belief that praying to them can protect you from snake bites.

It comes from a time when people lived close to the land—farming, working outdoors, sharing space with wildlife.Snakes were a real presence, shaping both fear and respect.Over time, they came to be associated with water and the health of the land.

That belief became ritual—
offerings at anthills, small shrines, festivals that continue even today.

But these aren’t really snake homes…
and what’s left here doesn’t always help the life inside.

I’m not sure what usually lives here,
but what’s left behind clearly changes the space.

And this is what caught my eye—
a common ground gecko, right in the middle of it all.

In many parts of India, snakes are still worshipped.
There’s a belief that praying to them can protect you from snake bites.
It comes from a time when people lived close to the land—farming, working outdoors, sharing space with wildlife.Snakes were a real presence, shaping both fear and respect. Over time, they came to be associated with water and the health of the land.

That belief became ritual—
offerings at anthills, small shrines, festivals that continue even today.

But these aren’t really snake homes…
and what’s left here doesn’t always help the life inside.

I’m not sure what usually lives here,
but what’s left behind clearly changes the space.

And in that same space, in this frame—
a common ground gecko, right in the middle of it all.

Going back to 2020 for this one — The only time I saw an Indian chameleon, during COVID—
just spending time in my mum’s backyard garden.

There were two mango trees, with a clothesline in between, and I saw it using that rope like a bridge to move across.

I always thought chameleons were slow… but it wasn’t.
It moved pretty fast—just very controlled.

By the time I tried to get it right, it had already disappeared into the tree.

I haven’t seen one again after that… even when I’ve been out in the wild.
I call it my invisible neighbour :)

What stayed with me was the texture, the curves… everything about it ❤️

just popping out to say hi 💙😄